tihvavy  of  Che  Cheolo^ical  ^eminarjp 

PRINCETON  •  NEW  JERSEY 


•a^D- 


BX  9225  .M48  V3  1891 
Vail,  R.  P.  H. 
A  tribute  to  the  memory  of 
Alexander  Milne 


/k^.    1,  C^^t^^^/^^ 


In  iKBprnoriflm 


A    "TRIBUXK 


^JUL    1    1944    . 

'  Logical  8tv^' 


TO   THE    MEMOKV    OF 


ALEXANDER  MILNE 


Rev.  R.   p.  H.  VAIL,  D.D. 


DELIVEKED    IN    THE 


First  Presbyterian  Church,   Stamford,  Conn. 
April  ijt/i,  iS(^i 


TOGETllEU    WITH    THE    RESOLUTIONS   PASSED   AT   A    MEETING    OF   THE   SESSION    OF 

THE   CHUKCH,    HELD    MONDAY    EVENING,    APRIL    13,    1S91,    AND    A    MINUTE 

OF   THE    HOARD    OF   DIRECTORS   OF   THE    Y.    M.    C.    A.    OF   THE 

CITY    OF   NEW    YORK. 


lllciii   l)orl; 

WM.    C.    MARTIN    PRINTING    HOUSE,    111    JOHN    STREET 
I  89  I 


SERMON 


SCRIPTURE  SELECTIONS. 


"  Howl  fir  tree,  for  the  cedar  is  fallen." 

"  Lord  I  have  loved  the  habitation  of  Th)- 
house,  the  place  where  Thine  honor  dwelleth." 

"Thine  age  shall  be  clearer  than  the  noon-day." 

"  Thou  shalt  come  to  thy  grave  in  a  full  age, 
like  as  a  shock  of  corn  cometh  in  in  his  season." 

"  A  good  man  full  of  faith,  and  of  the  Holy 
Ghost." 

"  The  law  of  truth  was  in  his  mouth,  and  in- 
iciuity  was  not  found  in  his  lii)s.  He  walked 
with  me  in  peace  and  equity,  and  did  turn  many 
away  from  iniquity." 

"Godliness  is  profitable  unto  all  things,  having 
the  promise  of  the  life  that  now  is,  and  of  that 
which  is  to  come." 

"  An  elder  that  ruled  well,  accounted  worthy  of 
double  honor." 

"  I  have  fought  a  good  fight,  I  have  finished  my 
course,  I  have  kept  the  faith.  Henceforth  there 
is  laid  up  for  me  a  crown  of  righteousness, 
which  the  Lord,  the  righteous  Judge,  shall  give 
me  in  that  day." 

"  For  me  to  live  is  Christ  ;  and  to  die  is  gain." 


SKRM  ON  . 


STANDING  in  this  presence,  and  speaking 
to  you  of  the  venerable  and  godly  man  for 
whose  funeral  service  we  are  met  this  after- 
noon, I  am  at  a  loss  what  text  to  choose.  There 
is  a  whole  wealth  of  Scripture  that  is  peculiarly 
pertinent  to  such  a  life  and  character;  and  I 
might  go  on  repeating  verse  after  verse,  like 
those  which  I  have  read,  while  in  each  you 
would  recognize  the  portrait  of  our  departed 
father  and  friend,  and  to  them  all  your  hearts 
would  honestly  respond  "  Amen." 

Happy  the  man  in  whose  memory  such 
glowing  words  from  the  Book  of  God  may  be 
truthfully  spoken!  I  know  of  no  grander 
achievement  possible  for  any  man  than  to  so 
pass  the  time  of  his  sojourn  on  the  earth  as  to 
be  rightfully  entitled,  at  its  end,  to  such  script- 
ural encomiums  upon  his  character  and  career. 
He  lies  down  in  peace,  while  all  who  knew 
him  rise   up  to  call   him  blessed.      He  enters 


10 

upon  the  joy  of  his  Lord,  and  receives  a  great 
welcome  there.  Such  lives  make  this  v^^orld 
a  brighter  and  better  place.  They  dignif}^ 
humanity.  They  exalt  our  ideas  of  human 
nature.  They  show  us  something  of  the 
image  of  God  in  man.  They  are  a  benediction 
as  they  pass.  And  they  stimulate  men  to 
aspire  and  strive  after  higher  and  nobler 
things. 

This  is  a  well-earned  rest  which  our  brother 
has  gained.  For  more  than  four  score  years 
he  has  been  a  toiler  in  the  world.  From  its 
earliest  3^ears  up  to  its  very  close,  his  life  has 
been  one  of  constant  and  abounding  activity. 
In  the  days  of  his  youth,  his  manhood,  and 
even  in  his  old  age,  he  had  no  time  nor  inclin- 
ation for  idle  hours.  Like  the  Master  whom 
he  served,  he  must  work  the  works  of  Him 
that  sent  him  while  it  was  day:  the  night  was 
coming  when  no  man  could  work.  So  he 
filled  the  years  with  abundant  labor;  and  like 
his  Master  also,  his  chief  work  and  the  one  in 
which  he  took  chief  delight  was  in  going  about 
to    do    good.     Even  in   these   last  months  of 


1 1 


great  physical  feebleness,  it  was  difficult  to 
persuade  him  to  sit  still  awhile  with  folded 
hands.  He  saw  some  business  of  his  Father 
that  required  his  attention,  and  he  would  sum- 
mon up  his  little  remaining  strength  and  go 
forth  on  a  fresh  labor  of  love.  The  rest  upon 
which  this  tired  man  has  now  entered  is  a 
rest  well  earned. 

He  was  a  strong  man  and  a  good  man, 
whose  mortal  remains  we  bury  to-day.  For 
strength  of  character  he  was  like  the  granite 
of  the  Scottish  hills  which  he  loved  so  well. 
In  the  firmness  of  his  convictions  and  the  fix- 
edness of  his  faith  he  was  like  a  Scotch  cedar 
tree  that  holds  fast,  no  matter  how  severe  the 
storms.  When  he  had  made  up  his  mind,  his 
mind  was  made  up;  and  when  he  had  set  his 
hand  to  any  work,  he  would  keep  it  there  till 
the  work  was  done.  A  strong  character  that 
was  based  on  firm  convictions,  that  was  rooted 
and  grounded  in  righteousness  and  truth:  a 
strong  character  that  was  filled  to  the  full  with 
energy,  determination,  and  a  consecration  of 
all  its  powers  to  the  living  God. 


12 

It  sometimes  happens  that  great  strength  of 
character  is  a  most  unlovely  thing.  It  means 
simply  stubbornness  and  headstrong  self-will. 
There  is  no  beauty  in  it  that  men  should 
desire  it.  It  was  not  so,  however,  in  this 
case.  The  Scotch  granite  took  on  a  most  ex- 
cellent polish  that  was  at  once  beautiful  and 
smooth.  In  this  character  strength  was  al- 
ways married  to  beauty;  and  the  sturdy  cedar- 
like traits  in  the  man  were  ever  twined  about 
with  graceful  vines  which  blossomed  with  fair 
flowers.  Firm  in  his  faith,  courageous  in  his 
convictions,  determined  in  his  purposes,  out- 
spoken in  his  views,  he  was  as  inflexible  as 
John  Knox  himself;  and  yet  there  was  al- 
ways a  pleasant  smile  in  his  heart,  a  kind  word 
on  his  lips,  and  a  gentle  hand  for  all,  even  to 
the  youngest  child.  He  was  as  good  as  he 
was  strong.  And  he  moved  about  among 
men  through  these  long  years  of  varied  activity 
beloved  by  many,  respected  by  all. 

I  cannot  in  the  little  time  at  my  disposal 
this  afternoon  undertake  to  give  you  a  com- 
plete analysis  of  Mr.  Milne's  character,  or  to 


tell  3^011  the  complete  story  ol  his  long  earthly 
career.  I  can  give  you  but  a  brief  outline  of 
each,  mingling  the  two  together  as  I  proceed. 

If  3'ou  ask  me  what  was  the  secret  of  this 
noble  character,  or  what  was  the  corner- 
stone on  which  this  consistent  life  was  builded, 
I  am  inclined  to  refer  you  to  the  first  answer 
in  the  Shorter  Catechism:  "Man's  chief  end 
is  to  glorify  God,  and  to  enjoy  Him  forever." 
Our  brother  learned  that  answer  when  he  was 
a  little  child  in  Scotland,  and  before  he  had 
any  just  apprehension  of  the  significance  of  the 
words.  But  gradually  their  meaning  dawned 
upon  his  childish  mind  and  took  possession  of 
his  young  heart.  The  soil  was  good  in  which 
that  seed  was  sown.  At  the  age  of  nine  }'ears 
he  gave  himself  to  God,  and  never  took  back 
the  gift.  From  then  till  now  this  man's  chief 
end  has  been  to  glorify  God  and  to  enjoy  him 
forever.  I  can  give  you  no  better  key  with 
which  to  unlock  the  secret  of  his  character 
and  life. 

Mr.  Milne  was  born  on  the  seventh  of  June, 
1S07,  in  the  little  town  of  Banff,  far  up  in  the 


north  of  Scotland,  abreast  the  Highlands.  A 
Scotchman  born,  he  was  a  Scotchman  till  he 
died — a  Scotchman  in  his  love  of  country,  in 
his  earnestness  of  spirit,  in  his  characteristic 
humor,  in  his  poetical  nature,  in  his  knowl- 
edge of  Scripture,  and  in  his  warm  interest  in 
all  Scotch  people  who  came  to  him.  He  was 
brother  Scot  to  every  Scotchman  in  the  town, 
and  loved  to  talk  with  him  about  the  heather 
hills,  and  the  "  auld  hame "  from  which  he 
came. 

While  yet  a  mere  boy  he  was  set  to  learn 
the  stonecutter's  trade;  and  he  plied  his  chisel 
on  the  blocks  of  Scotch  granite  which  were 
given  him  to  shape.  It  was  lusty  and  vigor- 
ous work,  and  it  developed  a  lusty  and  vigor- 
ous lad.  He  enjoyed  his  work  and  attacked 
the  solid  rocks  with  sturdy  blows.  When  he 
became  a  journeyman  stonecutter  he  wrought 
side  by  side  with  Hugh  Miller,  in  Aberdeen- 
shire; and  he  often  spoke  with  pleasure  of  the 
days  he  spent  in  the  society  of  this  learned 
man,  then  humble  and  obscure,  but  afterwards 
famous   as    the    pioneer    of  modern  geology. 


15 

With  his  naturally  bright  mind,  and  through 
association  with  such  an  instructor  as  Hug^h 
Miller,  our  friend  soon  became  well  versed  in 
the  wonderful  testimony  of  the  rocks  which 
he  loved  so  well.  In  those  da3s  of  stone- 
cutting  in  Scotland  he  developed  a  strong 
and  well-furnished  intellect,  as  well  as  a 
healthy  and  vigorous  physique. 

On  the  i6th  of  April,  1832,  at  Mintlaw, 
Aberdeenshire,  he  was  married  to  Sophia 
Boulton,  and  from  that  bright  Spring  day  in 
Scotland,  59  years  ago  this  very  week,  until 
last  Friday  when  he  died,  he  has  been  a 
tender,  loving  and  devoted  husband,  as  gentle 
and  kind  and  affectionate  as  in  the  days  of  his 
youthful  and  ardent  courtship  long  ago.  The 
venerable  and  feeble  widow  who  survives  him, 
and  who  placed  yonder  window  in  the  church, 
some  years  ago,  as  "  a  wife's  loving  tribute  " 
to  her  husband,  has  not  long  to  wait  before 
joining  him  again.  The  tribute  window,  with 
its  Presbyterian  insignia,  becomes  a  memorial 
window  to-day,  and  henceforth  keeps  fresh 
the  memory  of  his  honored  name,  so  long  as 
the  church  itself  shall  stand. 


■      i6 

On  the  day  of  their  marriage  the  young 
bridegroom  and  bride  started  out  for  America. 
A  six  weeks'  trip  in  a  sailing  vessel  across  the 
Atlantic  was  to  be  their  wedding  journey,  and 
America  was  to  be  their  future  home.  His 
father-in-law  offered  to  give  him  a  goodly 
farm  in  Aberdeenshire,  if  only  they  would 
remain  in  Scotland.  But  Mr.  Milne's  mind 
was  made  up,  and  he  declined  the  offer  with 
thanks,  and  came.  He  loved  Scotland  with 
its  lochs  and  rocks,  its  crags  and  hills,  just  as 
every  Scotchman  does.  But  he  had  broad 
views,  and  energy,  and  ambition,  and  a  deter- 
mination to  get  on  in  the  world.  And  he  felt 
that  America  offered  him  advantages  and 
opportunities  and  possibilities  that  were  denied 
him  at  home.  So  with  a  very  few  pounds 
sterling  in  their  pockets,  to  America  the  young 
couple  came,  landing  in  New  York  at  the  end 
of  May,  1832. 

When  he  stepped  on  the  wharf  in  this 
strange  land  among  strangers,  Mr.  Milne  was 
25  years  of  age,  a  Christian,  and  a  stonecutter 
and  setter.     The  first  thing-  he  did  after  get- 


ting  a  boarding-place  was  to  find  a  church  ; 
the  next  was  to  obtain  employment.  He 
quickly  succeeded  in  both,  as  you  might  ex- 
pect. Before  a  week  was  over  he  was  settled 
in  the  old  Seventh  Presbyterian  Church  on 
the  corner  of  Ridge  Street  and  Broome,  and 
had  gotten  to  work  at  his  trade.  It  was  simply 
characteristic  of  the  promptitude  and  activity 
of  the  man. 

I  cannot  go  as  much  into  detail  respecting 
his  church  life  and  his  business  career  as  I 
would  like.  The  story  is  intensely  interest- 
ing, and  furnishes  a  splendid  example  along 
many  lines,  showing  how  thrift,  industry, 
courage,  honest}',  integrity,  good  sense  and 
earnestness  in  work  bring  a  grand  develop- 
ment and  secure  a  good  reward  in  the  respect 
of  fellow-men  and  in  the  accumulation  of  this 
world's  goods;  and  showing  also  how  religion 
may  ever  be  kept  just  a  little  in  advance  of 
business — nay,  how  it  may  permeate  busi- 
ness; and  how,  in  the  midst  of  an  intensely 
busy  life  the  catechism's  definition  of  man's 
chief  end  ma}'  be  realized.     This  man   sought 


first  the  kingdom  of  God  and  His  righteous- 
ness, and  the  other  things  were  added  unto 
him.  He  was  ever  diligent  in  business,  fer- 
vent in  spirit,  serving  the  Lord. 

He  was  not  long  in  the  old  Seventh  Church 
before  a  discovery  was  made  of  the  young 
Scotchman's  gifts  and  powers,  and  they  were 
at  once  called  into  exercise.  It  was  a  strong 
church,  one  of  the  strongest  in  the  City  of 
New  York  at  the  time,  and  full  of  earnest 
women  and  noble  men.  But  within  four 
years — so  soon  as  1836 — they  had  called  him 
to  the  eldership  of  the  church;  he  was  leader 
of  the  great  chorus  choir,  and  he  was  super- 
intendent of  the  flourishing  Sunday-school. 
Yes,  they  knew  their  man — a  poor  man  in- 
deed as  yet,  a  young  man,  a  foreigner  not  yet 
a  citizen,  but  a  man,  a  man  of  strength  and 
beauty,  a  man  of  mind  and  heart,  a  Christian 
man  who  had  laid  his  splendid  powers  on 
Christ's  altar  and  Christ  had  accepted  the 
offering.  Young  as  he  was — but  four  years 
in  the  land — they  ordained  him  to  eldership 
in    the    Presbyterian    Church    of  the    United 


/9 

States;  they  established  him,  by  God's  grace, 
as  a  pillar  in  the  temple  of  the  Lord.  The 
choir  sang  with  devout  hearts  earnestly  under 
his  leadership  after  he  had  opened  the  rehear- 
sal with  pra3er  ;  the  Sunday-school  became 
larger  yet  under  his  superintendency,  and 
hosts  of  youth  gave  their  hearts  to  Jesus 
Christ;  the  church  was  revived  again  and 
again,  grew  yet  stronger  and  stronger  in  the 
Lord,  and  became  a  mighty  power  for  good 
in  all  that  section  of  the  town,  in  the  days 
when  Alexander  Milne,  the  strong  and  con- 
•secrated  young  Scotchman,  the  capable  Bible 
student,  the  earnest  and  powerful  exhorter  of 
souls,  served  in  the  eldership.  Ordained  a 
ruling  elder  in  1836,  he  was  still  a  ruling  elder 
when  he  died,  his  term  of  faithful  service  hav- 
ing covered  a  period  of  55  years.  "  An  elder 
who  ruled  well,  accounted  worthy  of  double 
honor." 

Mr.  Milne  began  his  work  in  New  York  as 
a  stonecutter.  He  was  soon  a  contractor. 
The  Lord  prospered  him  in  his  way.  Archi- 
tects  loved  to  have   him  carry  out  their  de- 


20 

signs.  He  was  a  man  whose  work  they  could 
always  trust.  He  soon  became  a  famous 
builder.  He  loved  the  work.  He  loved 
architecture.  He  loved  to  see  stately  build- 
ings grow,  and  he  loved  to  have  them  grow 
under  his  guiding  hand.  In  1854  he  became 
a  manager  of  the  Masterton,  Smith  &  Sinclair 
Stone  Dressing  Co.,  and  its  president  in  1858; 
and  partner  in  the  firm  of  Sinclair  &  Milne, 
which  succeeded  this  company  in  1S69,  until 
he  retired  from  business  in  1879.  The  quar- 
ries and  stone  yards  of  Sinclair  &  Milne  were 
second  to  none  in  all  the  land,  and  the  stone 
for  a  great  number  of  the  most  important 
buildings  in  New  York  was  furnished  by 
them :  Christian  churches  and  Jewish  syna- 
gogues, banks  and  court  houses.  Cooper 
Unions,  and  Y.  M.  C.  A.  halls,  and  some  of 
the  finest  private  residences  which  line  Fifth 
Avenue.  Yes,  he  was  quite  right.  He  loved 
dear  old  Scotland,  but  he  wisely  thought  that 
America  offered  him  a  better  chance.  Some 
day  when  you  are  walking  down  Fifth  Avenue 
and    are    going    by    the    Brick    Presbyterian 


21 

Church  on  the  corner  of  Thirty-seventh  Street, 
look  up  to  the  top  of  the  high  steeple.  When 
it  was  beino^  reared  there  was  trouble  about 
the  great  tinial.  There  were  none  of  the 
men  who  were  able  to  set  it.  So  Alexander 
Milne,  with  characteristic  promptitude,  got 
into  the  basket  and  was  pulled  up  to  the  dizzy 
height,  and  his  hands  set  the  linial  there. 
What  his  workmen  could  not  do  he  did  him- 
self. Look  up  and  think  of  him  when  next 
you  go  by. 

Mr.  Milne  first  came  to  Stamford  in  1839, 
not  to  reside  but  to  live  here  awhile  and  do 
some  work.  He  at  once  opened  a  stone  yard 
at  the  head  of  the  canal,  and  went  into  the 
old  Cong'reg-ational  Church.  Business  with 
him  was  never  allowed  to  get  ahead  of  relig- 
ion. The  business  prospered,  and  the  church 
prospered  also.  He  made  his  presence  as  a 
Christian  felt  in  the  town  at  once.  That  year 
there  was  a  great  revival  of  religion  here. 
Humanly  speaking,  Alexander  Milne,  under 
God,  did  more  to  promote  it  than  any  other 
man.     It  was   he  who  brought  the  ministers 


22 

here  from  all  the  reo^ion  round  about,  who 
took  the  general  ordering  of  the  meetings  that 
were  held,  who  taught  the  people  how  to  sing 
with  energy  and  enthusiasm,  who  infused  life 
and  vigor  into  Christian  hearts,  and  who,  by 
his  Christian  earnestness  in  action  and  speech, 
caused  the  dry  bones  to  rattle  in  the  valley. 
In  those  days  he  was  a  power  in  every  Chris- 
tian assembly  which  he  entered.  As  the  result 
of  that  revival  in  1839  hundreds  of  souls  were 
aroused,  and  great  numbers  turned  to  God. 
The  dear  old  man  is  greeted  by  multitudes  in 
glory  now,  who  were  first  led  to  Christ 
through  the  influence  of  the  Spirit  in  their 
hearts  accompanying  his  burning  words.  And 
that  was  the  kind  of  a  life  he  lived  in  the  time 
of  his  stalwart  manhood  both  here  and  in 
New  York,  always  busy  in  winning  souls  and. 
making  his  Christian  influence  felt. 

He  was  made  a  deacon  of  the  Congrega- 
tional Church  of  this  village  in  1841,  but 
returned  to  New  York  in  1843.  In  1849  he 
came  again  to  Stamford,  this  time  to  become 
a  permanent  resident.     He  built  the  house  in 


which  he  lived,  and  where  he  continued  to 
reside  until  death  came. 

What  he  has  been  during  his  residence 
here  the  most  of  }'ou  well  know.  Simple  in 
his  tastes,  hearty  in  his  manner,  cordial  in  his 
greeting  to  friends  and  strangers  alike,  full  of 
the  most  genial  humor,  bright  and  original  in 
his  speech,  a  man  of  pure  life  and  spotless 
reputation,  a  helper  to  the  unfortunate,  a  com- 
fort to  those  in  trouble,  a  man  of  many  friends, 
cheerful  in  spirit,  liberal  in  his  gifts,  an  up- 
right citizen,  a  consecrated  Christian  abund- 
ant in  sympathy,  love  and  good  works. 

I  need  scarcely  say  how  thoroughly  Mr. 
Milne  has  been  identified  with  the  Presby- 
terian Church  of  Stamford  from  its  inception 
until  now.  That  story  is  too  rich  and  full  for 
rehearsal  to-day.  It  was  in  his  heart  and  mind 
that  the  foundations  of  Presb3^terianism  here 
were  laid.  He  was  the  father  of  the  church. 
The  meeting  in  which  the  idea  of  it  first  took 
shape  was  held  at  his  house  in  1852. 

With  George  Elder,  his  companion  and 
friend,  he  became  ruling  elder  when  the  church 


24 

was  organized  with  25  members,  in  1853. 
These  two  men,  elders  each  of  them  until 
death,  were  the  Jachin  and  Boaz  of  this  temple. 
They  were  pillars  in  the  house  of  the  Lord. 

Mr.  Milne  was  a  Presbyterian  to  the  core, 
staunch  in  his  faith  in  its  doctrine  and  polity, 
and  a  lover  of  its  assemblies.  But  his  Chris- 
tianity was  as  Catholic  as  his  great  heart.  He 
was  the  companion  of  all  them  that  feared 
God,  by  whatever  ecclesiastical  name  they 
were  known;  and  there  was  not  a  Christian 
in  the  town  towards  whom  he  was  not  ready 
to  extend  his  blessing  and  his  hand. 

But  it  was  here  that  his  love  centered,  and 
to  this  church  his  best  toil  was  given.  The 
record  of  our  indebtedness  to  him  is  written 
in  the  hearts  of  all  our  people.  He  has  been 
wellnigh  everything  to  this  church,  and  his 
presence  and  his  power  have  been  a  constant 
benediction.  By  his  fervent  prayers,  his  godly 
life,  his  wise  counsels,  his  earnest  spirit,  his 
generous  gifts,  his  tender  sympathy,  his  great 
heartedness,  he  has  helped  and  blessed  us  all 
in   wa3's  that  no  arithmetic  can    measure    or 


25 

compute.  In  the  days  of  his  strength,  his 
place  was  seldom  vacant  in  the  sanctuary,  the 
prayer  meeting,  or  the  Sunday-school.  He 
loved  this  habitation  of  God's  house,  and  was 
never  happier  than  when  promoting  God's 
honor  here.  This  church  and  congregation 
will  never  have  a  more  faithful  servitor  or  a 
more  devoted  friend  than  he.  It  is  fitting  that 
the  tablet  in  the  front  of  the  tower,  bearing 
the  name  of  the  church,  should  have  been  the 
gift  of  his  hand.  It  is  of  Aberdeen  granite. 
He  wanted  a  rock  from  Presbyterian  Scotland 
to  be  among  the  stones  of  the  wall. 

It  has  been  a  great  privilege  to  be  associated 
in  church  relations  with  such  a  man.  To 
pastor  and  people  he  has  been  a  constant  in- 
spiration and  delight.  Every  one  of  us  will 
miss  him  sorely  in  the  days  to  come.  There 
is  not  a  member  of  our  congregation,  who,  by 
this  death,  has  not  lost  a  friend  with  a  warm 
heart  and  a  strong  yet  gentle  hand. 

He  came  with  us  for  the  last  time  on  Easter 
morning,  was  happy  in  the  service,  and  went 
home  to  return  no  more.     And  now  I  see  him 


26 

worshipping  in  the  upper  sanctuary — the  old 
man  grown  young  again,  the  bowed  head 
erect  again,  the  faded  cheek  faded  no  longer, 
but  flushed  with  the  bloom  of  immortal  youth. 
He  meets  with  the  great  congregation.  He 
sees  the  King  in  His  beauty.  He  sings  at  last 
the  new  song. 

May  we  all  join  him  in  the  heavenly  home, 
and  be  greeted  once  more  with  a  hearty  wel- 
come from  his  cordial  hand  ! 

"  Servant  of  God,  well  done, 

Rest  from  thy  loved  employ  ; 
The  battle  fought,  the  victory  won. 

Enter  thy  Master's  joy. 
The  voice  at  midnight  came. 

He  started  up  to  hear  ; 
A  mortal  arrow  pierced  his  frame. 

He  fell,  but  felt  no  fear. 

The  pains  of  death  are  past, 

Labor  and  sorrow  cease  ; 
And,  life's  long  warfare,  closed  at  last. 

His  soul  is  found  in  peace. 
Soldier  of  Christ,  well  done, 

Praise  be  thy  new  employ ; 
And,  while  eternal  ages  run. 

Rest  in  thy  Saviour's  joy." 


KiRST  I'kesbvtf.kian  Church,  Stamford,  Conn. 


RESOLUTIONS 


RESOLUTIONS 


ADOI'TED    BY   THE 


Session  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church, 

STAMFORD,    CONN. 


Whereas,  it  has  pleased  God  to  take  to  Himself  our 
friend,  Alexander  Milne,  a  member  of  the  Session  of  this 
church  by  successive  unanimous  elections  since  its  organ- 
ization in  1853,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death  its  Senior 
Elder,  his  associates  deeply  sensible  of  the  loss  which 
they  and  the  church  have  sustained,  desire  to  place 
upon  their  records  their  tribute  of  regard  and  affection 
for  his  memory: 

Alexander  Milne  died  April  10,  1891,  in  the  84th  year 
of  his  age.  His  work  for  Christ  and  His  Church  in 
Stamford  began  more  than  fifty  years  ago,  when  a  young 
mechanic,  he  came  from  Scotland  with  his  wife,  and 
after  a  residence  of  a  few  years  in  New  York,  located 
here.  During  his  stay  of  about  four  years  at  that  time, 
so  earnestly  and  faithfully  did  he  serve  his  Master  that 
nearly  150  persons  united  with  the  Congregational  Church 
of  which  for  two  years  he  was  a  deacon.  Returning  to 
New  York,  he  resumed  his  connection  with  the  Seventh 
Church,  and  his  six  years  of  membership  were  years  of 
almost  continuous  revival.  Upon  the  opening  of  the 
New  Haven  road  he  returned  to  Stamford  and  soon  after 


30 

aided  in  the  organization  of  this  church,  to  which  wilh 
a  zeal  and  affection  which  knew  no  abatement  nor  varia- 
tion, he  gave  his  prayers,  his  money  and  himself  even  to 
the  end.  It  is  difficult  to  estimate  the  debt  which  this 
church  owes  to  him  and  to  his  dearly-loved  friend  and 
associate,  George  Elder,  for  their  gifts,  their  example 
and  their  prayers  during  their  lives  among  us.  How 
many  during  these  years  were  made  better  and  happier 
because  of  them  we  do  not  know,  but  we  are  sure  that  it 
has  been  given  to  few  laymen  to  exert  a  stronger  or 
wider  influence  for  good  than  they.  Theirs  was  the  zeal 
according  to  knowledge,  theirs  was  the  prayer  of  faith 
and  the  labor  of  love.  And  for  each  of  them  are  other 
words  of  commendation  than  ours,  even  the  approval  of 
Him  whose  they  were  and  whom  they  served.  To 
human  judgment  it  seems  that  we  may  not  hope  to  fill 
these  vacant  ])laces  with  men  such  as  these  men  were ; 
but  we  would  not  forget  their  many  prayers  for  this 
church,  and  we  will  trust  their  God  and  ours  that  even 
for  their  sakes  blessings  yet  more  abundant  than  those  of 
the  past  may  come  to  this  church  which  they  loved. 

THOMAS  G.   RITCH, 

Clerk. 


MINUTE  OP  THE  BOARD  OF  DIRECTORS 

OF   THE 

YOUNG  MEN'S  CHRISTIAN  ASSOCIATION 

OF  THK  CITY  OF  NEW  YORK. 
MEETING    HELD   APRIL   22d,    1891. 


Mr.  Alexander  Milne,  a  life  member  of  the  Asso- 
ciation, died  April  loth,  in  the  84th  year  of  his  age. 
From  the  erection  of  the  Twenty-third  Street  building, 
Mr.  Milne  manifested  a  deep  interest  in  the  work  of  the 
Association.  He  was  long  identified  with  the  Seventh 
Presbyterian  Church,  and  one  of  the  founders  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church  in  Stamford,  Conn.  For  business 
ability,  integrity  of  character,  and  personal  devotion  to 
the  Saviour,  he  was  an  example  worthy  of  imitation  by 
the  young  men  of  to-day,  and  the  Board  desire  to  express 
to  Mrs.  Milne  their  heartiest  sympathy  in  her  bereave- 
ment. 

R.   R.  McBURNEY, 

General  Secretary. 


